Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging Program Helps Aging Veterans and Their Caregiver

Caregiving for a loved one can feel like a second job. Coordinating all the different types of help provided by professional and other family members can be difficult and frustrating. Caregivers can feel overwhelmed, especially if they are also dealing with the demands of work, family, and other areas of their lives. New study shows positive effects of telephone-based coaching program on caregiver strain According to research from the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging (BRIA), published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, a low-cost, telephone-based coaching program can go a long way toward relieving the strains of caregiving. Partners in Dementia Care, a coaching model driven by consumer choice, was developed by BRIA with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Alzheimer’s Association chapters in Alabama, Texas, Massachusetts, and Oklahoma. The intervention is an adaptation of BRI Care Consultation, an evidence-based program developed for individuals with chronic conditions and their caregivers. Individuals who participated in the study provided care for veterans aged 50 years and older, with at least one dementia diagnosis. After six months of participating in the program, caregivers showed a 45.7% decrease in unmet needs. They also saw a 25% decrease in “role captivity,” that is the feeling of being trapped by the caregiver role. Depression scores increased for both intervention and comparison groups after six months, though th...
Source: CareGiver, The - Category: Dementia Authors: Source Type: blogs